Shuttle eye



y 1935} P. 1.. SPENCER 2,002,131

SHUTTLE EYE Filed May 27, 1935 Patented May 21, 1935 1 UNITED; STATEPATE N OFFICE- SHUTTLE EYE Philip; L. Spencer, Millbury,Mass.,"assi'gnorto Watson-'Williams Manufacturing Company;Millbury,lilass., a corporation of Application May 27, 1933, Serial No.673,164

' tonnes. '(cl. 139 217) This invention relates to self threading blocksfor loom shuttles and particularlyto thread tension devices therein. l iI T l 1 'It is the general object of my invention to provide an improvedconstruction by Whichthe tension elements will be more securely mountedin the threading block and will be betterladapted tor'esist wear. 1

More specifically, Iprovide a separate, tubular steel retainer for" thetension members, within which the movements of the tensionmembersareconfined. i i

I alsoiprovide .animproved device for retaining one of the tensionsprings in operative position but permitting 'convenient removalthereof.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations oi partswhich willbelhereinafter described and more particularly pointed outin'the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which 1Fig. l is a partial plan view of a shuttle having my improved shuttleeye mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the eye, looking-in the direction of thearrow 2 in-Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom View looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig.2;

' Fig. 4 is a rear elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 4 inFigs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken along theline 55 in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the retainer for the tension members; i

Figs. 7 and 8 are end views thereof, looking in the direction of thearrows I and 8 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of one of the tension members, and T l 10 isan edge view thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown portions of a shuttle S having myimproved shuttle block mounted therein in the usual manner.

A threading block 28 is provided with a longitudinal thread passage 2|(Fig. 1), a horn 22 and an overlying lip portion 23. A lateral outlet orpassage'24 (Fig. 2) is provided below the horn 22, and the thread isretained in the passage 24 by a depending projection 25.

Guide members 26 and 21 (Fig. 3) are provided adjacent the outlet 24 anddirect the thread to a side opening 28 (Fig. 1) in the shuttle S. Theguide members 26 and 21 may be formed of glass or other very hardmaterial which will resist the wear of the thread. A depending hook 29(Fig.

1) projects laterally and downwardly into the wide entrance portion ofthe threadpassage 2 l At an intermediate point in the thread passage .2lI'provide a pair'of tension members 30 (Figs. 9 and 10), which arepreferably made of thin'sheet steel or similar material of segmentalcross section. ,The tension-members have outwardly inclined upper endportions3l to guide the entering thread. i v

I also provide a retainer 32: (Figs. 6 to 8) for the tension members,said retainer preferably being made of thin sheet steel bent to an ovalcross section and provided with elongated thread openings or slots 33and 34 inthe end walls' thereof, the openings 33 and 34 extendingdownward from vthetop edge of. the retainer and the front opening 34being of greater depth. Holes, 35 and 36 are provided in the side facesof the retainer 32 for purposes tobe described.

The retainer 32 is pressed into an oval recess 49 (Fig. 5) extendingupward from the bottom of the threading block 20 and thereafter forms apermanent part of the shuttle eye.

Tension springs 4| and 42 extend through the openings 35 in the sides ofthe retainer 32 and their adjacent ends engage the tension members 30.The outer end of the spring 4| is received in a pocket or recess 43 inthe side wall of the threading block 20, said recess being aligned withone of theopenings 35.

The other spring 42 extends into an opening ISO 44 in the opposite sidewall of the threading block 7 20 and is retained in position by a plate45 which is inserted from below in an undercut or T-slot 46 (Fig. 3). Across pin 50 extends through the lower portion of the threading block 20and positively retains the tension members 30, retainer 32 and plate 45from displacement. The plate 45 is notched at its lower edge asindicated at 5| (Fig. 4) to receive the pin 50.

When so desired, the retainer 32 may be hardened and tempered beforeinsertion in the recess 40 of the eye 20.

In assembling the parts the retainer 32 is first forced into the ovalopening in the threading block 20, the spring 4| is then positionedinthe recess 43, the tension members 30 are inserted from below, thespring 42' is placed in position in the opening 44, and the plate'45 ispushed upward from below to retain the spring 42 in the opening 44. Thepin 50 is then inserted, securing all the parts in operative relation.

It will be seen that the manufacture of my improved shuttle eye is muchsimplified by the construction described and particularly by the use ofthe retainer 32 and the spring-holding plate 45.

Furthermore, the tension members 30 engage only the inner surface of theretainer 32, which, as previously stated, is to be made of steel orother material which more effectively resists wear than the bronzecastings from which the eyes 20 are usually machined, As the tensionmembers 323 arethe only movable'parts which can cause wear of theshuttle eye, the life of the shuttle eye is much prolonged by myimprovements. It has been found that such tension members engagingdirectly with the bronze casting will rapidly form notches or recessesin the casting'on the sharp edges of which fine thread, such assilk orrayon, are easily cut or broken.

Having thus described my invention andthe' advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as setforth in the claims, but what I claim is:-'-

a 1. In a shuttle, a threading block having a longitudinal threadpassage therein and having a recess extending upward from the bottom ofsaid block in said passage and closed in part at its upper end, apair ofvertically disposed tension members, a tubular retainer for said tensionmembers slidablyfinsertable in "said recess from below, and means tosecure said tension members in said retainerand said retainerin saidrecess, said retainer being formed of thin sheet metal and havingelongated thread slots extending downward from the upper edges ofopposed wall portionsthereof. r;

2. In a shuttle, a threading block having a longitudinal thread passageand having a recess extending upward fromthe bottom of said block insaid passage, a pair of vertically disposed tension members mounted insaid recess, a spring for one of said tension members, an openingin saidblock for said spring, a plate to close said opening, said block havingguideways in which said plate is slidable, and means to hold said platein closing position,

3. In a shuttle, a threading block having a longitudinal thread passageand having a recess extending upward from the bottom of said block insaid passage, a pair of vertically disposed tension members mounted insaid recess, a spring for one of said tension members, an opening insaid block for said spring, a plate closing said opening, and means tohold said plate in closing position, said plate being removably mountedin an undercut recess in one side wall of said block.

4. In a shuttle, a threading block having a longitudinal thread passageand having a recess extending'upward from the bottom of said block insaid passage, a pair of vertically disposed tension members, a tubularretainer for said tension members, a spring for one of said tensionmembers, a plate to hold said spring in operative position, said blockhaving guideways in which said plate is slidable, and means to securesaid retainer, said tension members and said plate in said block.

5. In a shuttle, a threading block having a longitudinal thread passageand having a recess extending upward from the bottom of said block insaid passage, a pair of vertically disposed tension members, a tubularretainer for said tension members, a spring for one of said tensionmembers, a plate to hold said spring in operative position, said blockhaving guideways in which said-plate is slidable, and a single pin insaid block extending crossways of said retainer, said plate and saidtension members and holding all of said parts in operative relation insaid block.

PHILIP L. SPENCER.

